


Day in Question

by Selah



Series: Matteiru Kara [9]
Category: Heroes of the Storm (Video Game), NCIS, Overwatch (Video Game), World of Warcraft
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-03-22
Packaged: 2019-11-27 20:49:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18199148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selah/pseuds/Selah
Summary: To be honest, this concert business was making Allie a little nervous. At least she had her best friend by her side.





	Day in Question

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, the title's a thing. Written for Ladies Bingo for "The Company of Strangers" square. The concert itself is a fictional event, DiQ was always a single day in December until 2017, which was a bit of a special circumstance, so it wouldn't have been that concert anyway, yadda yadda yadda ya'll don't care. XD

As much as Allie thought Hanzo's fussing was adorable, she was glad he toned it down by the time Abby came to collect her for their not-date. By some miracle, he only asked a couple questions about where they were going, if they were planning to meet more people there, and when they expected to be home. Abby was surprisingly toned down, even in her full goth regalia, respectful even in her teasing. 

“I promise, sensei, we'll be fine,” Abby said, offering another reassuring smile. “It's the Budokan, not like we're going to some tiny venue out in the sticks.”

“All right, all right,” Hanzo said as he relented, finally cracking a smile. “But call me if you need a ride home.”

“Promise,” Allie said. Hanzo's concern was really quite sweet, especially when she knew that _he_ knew she and Abby were completely capable of taking care of themselves.

_:He worries what will happen if the worst were to happen and you needed me to defend you. Abigail is too curious, if I should have to defend you, she will want to know more.:_

Allie resisted the urge to roll her eyes, silently reminding Nobu that _he_ was the one to assure her that the dragons trusted Abby to keep a secret better than a monk, whatever that meant.

_:And we do, but Hanzo worries anyway. You know how he is:_

No point in even trying to argue with that.

“Allie?”

“Hmm?”

“You got a faraway look on your face.”

“Oh, it's nothing, just thinking about something,” she said, offering Abby a brilliant grin. Time to redirect her friend's curiosity before Allie slipped and said something she shouldn't.

~*~*~

By the time they were actually being let into the venue, Allie felt like her head was going to burst from all the information Abby had been throwing at her. Band information, song titles, concert protocols, and she wasn't even sure what all else. Finally she had to grab her friend and shake her a little.

“Abby! You _do_ know I'm not going to remember all this, right?”

“Sorry, sorry, it's just ... Japanese concerts are different from goth and rock concerts in the States. If we were going to this show in New Orleans, there'd be all kinds of dancing in the audience, people just kinda ... doing whatever felt right to them. But here there's a whole different culture to it, with songs having set routines that everyone does together. It's very ... well, it's just different. I just want to be sure you're prepared.”

“So if all else fails, just do what everyone else around us is doing?” Allie asked, chuckling. “Don't worry so much, Abbs, I'm sure I'll do fine.”

The girls in front of them suddenly turned around, a mix of curiousity and excitement on their faces as they rambled off something too fast for Allie to catch but sounded a little like they were surprised gaijin knew anything about Buck-Tick.

“ _So cool_. You are new fan?” one of them asked in halting English, blushing again. “Sorry, English not good.”

“Better than my Japanese,” Allie confessed with an encouraging smile. “But yeah, I just started listening to them a couple months ago.”

“Ahhhh, they is so cool, yeah?” another of the girls offered.

“Do you have a favorite song?” a third asked.

“Not yet,” Allie confessed with a little shake of her head. “But maybe by the end of tonight?”

“Live is always better. Really feel the emotion,” the third girl said with a firm nod. Given her own limited experiences, Allie just nodded and smiled. This concert would tell if Buck-Tick really was the sort of band that was better live than in studio.

~*~*~

When the concert drew to a final end, Abby found herself feeling both wired and pleasantly exhausted. As promised, Buck-Tick had put on an amazing show, as befitted such an esteemed band. Even better, she had made a bunch of new friends, trading numbers with Hanako and her group of friends. Hanako had wanted all of them to go out for coffee together right after the concert, but Allie had mumbled an excuse about having an early morning and maybe next time? As quickly as everyone had agreed to reschedule for another time, Abby suspected the girls had wanted to practice their English some more. It was a phenomenon with which Abby was becoming _quite_ familiar.

“So,” she said as they settled into a tiny izakaya not far from the Shimadas' apartment, “what did you think? The truth now, since it's just me.”

“Ah, well, to be honest I'm still not sure if it's entirely my thing,” Allie said with a shy smile. “I liked enough of the songs that I can honestly say I had a good time, though! But the squealing ... I don't know if I could deal with that again, to be honest.”

“Ah, yeah. That. Sorry, I forgot to warn you about that.”

“Yeah, that. Acchan? Really?”

“Yeah, its ... I don't know how to explain it other than it's a cultural thing. Trying to show love by being louder and cuter than anyone else, but with cute somehow meaning high pitched and childish. I doubt any of them would actually call him that to his face, but lost in a crowd, well, it's different, yeah?”

“Apparently,” Allie agreed, shaking her head a little. “Makes me glad we had the ear plugs. But I hope you know I have no idea what most of those songs even were tonight.”

“Yeah, I'm surprised they played so much of their older material,” Abby said, chuckling and then digging up a pen and paper. “I think I remember the set list, I'll have to check on the forum in the morning,” she said as she started jotting down names.

“Don't worry about it. I already warned Genji that if I actually liked this band, he might end up having to buy me their CDs,” Allie said, laughing. “He blanched, but he didn't say no, so I expect that to be his next apology gift. And even if I'm not sure on them, well, I do still kinda want to buy the CDs where I can, so I can have a booklet with lyrics and maybe practice my kanji?”

“Ohh, that's a good idea, actually!” Abby said, nodding. “Lyrics can be tricky sometimes because poetic imagery is naturally tricky to translate, but way more interesting than textbook exercises.”

“I've never shied away from a challenge,” Allie said with a determined look.

“And really, you're making amazing progress; a lot of other ex-pats in your situation wouldn't be taking their language lessons as seriously. Especially here in Tokyo.”

“Yeah, I've noticed I could skate by on a lot, as long as I know enough to ask for someone who speaks English and how to apologize, but. I mean, my true soulmate's whole life is here in Tokyo. Learning the language seems like the least I could do.”

“I hope, if I end up in his place, my soulmate will be even half as understanding as you,” Abby said with a sigh.

“I have faith things will work out for the two of you, whenever it is you meet, just the way they're meant to. Whether that means a life here in Tokyo or somewhere else in Japan or even back in the States. Or a bit of both, even. You'll figure it out, together.”

Abby nodded a bit before shaking off the threatening melancholy that tended to bubble up any time she got to thinking about her absent soulmate.

“So. Concert. I want to hear more about what you thought!” Abby said, sitting back to thank the waitress for their chicken and beer. Allie laughed, begging a moment to eat before she got into an in-depth analysis of the show. It was fine, the subject was changed now; that was the important part.


End file.
